855773644-LEED-v5-BD-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition - Page 038

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Defining community Project teams must first establish the scope of their assessment by identifying who the community is. Communities have both geographic and functional definitions. Geographic communities start with the project’s neighborhood. This includes the people who live and work in and near the project and interact with it by proximity. Geographic communities can also extend beyond to include towns, cities, or counties. Functional communities include all occupants, construction workers, and visitors who come to the building. These people may or may not live nearby. Teams can shape community through various affinities or commonalities, such as age, ethnicity, income level, housing status, or educational background. The community may extend to include project team members such as architects, engineers, contractors, and designers who oversee the planning, design, and construction phases. Community in the supply chain includes material suppliers, manufacturers, distributors. It also involves the workforce involved in production and transportation. This highlights the importance of local engagement and fair labor practices.

Address the core categories of human impact Teams must complete a thorough assessment that evaluates the potential impact of the project on people, including living conditions, health, food security, education, and access to other resources. The assessment must include data collection and analysis of core human impact categories such as demographic, infrastructure, health, and occupant experience factors, as well as any other relevant social impacts identified, providing a comprehensive overview of the human impacts of project development. Project teams encourage engagement with community members and other relevant groups to gather insights, understand local needs, and validate data.

DEMOGRAPHICS The first category evaluates the local demographics of the area surrounding the project site, which is critical to understanding how the development may influence the social fabric of the surrounding community. This process involves analyzing key demographic characteristics, including factors such as race and ethnicity, gender, age distribution, income levels, employment rates, population density, education levels, and household types. Additionally, the project includes identification nearby vulnerable populations to consider how their needs can be addressed its development. It is suggested that teams collaborate with nonprofit organizations that work directly with the people of the community.

LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND LAND USE The second category examines the project’s impact on local infrastructure and land use, as well as identifying existing infrastructure that provides an opportunity to connect to the project. Teams must assess the adjacent public transit systems, such as walkways, bike

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 28